Display container



May 22, 1934. EBERT DISPLAY CONTAINER I Fiied July 29, 1952 3 Sheets-s lINVENTOR y firzf 12 1 A EY May 22, 1934.

EBERT 1,959,619 DISPLAY CONTAINER Filed July 29, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2May 22, 1934. L. EBERT 1,959,919

I JISPLAY CONTAINER Filed July 29, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Zzedmyz 5015. Y

my ATTORNEY Patented May 22, 1934 UNITED STATES DISPLAY CONTAINER LudwigEbert, NewlYork, N. Y., assignor of onehalf to Oberly & Newell 545 PearlStreet Corp., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationJuly 29, 1932, Serial No. 625,696

' 11 Claims. (01. znzs) This invention relates to displaydevices ingeneral, and particularly to the kind in which merchandise or articlesto be displayed may be shipped already placed in the deVice, so as to beready for display when removed from the carrier.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a shipping and displaycontainer of extremely simple and readily assemblable construction,inexpensive in its manufacture, but nevertheless highly effective bothasto its practicability and its artistic effects.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device in which actualarticles of merchandise, within or without a wrapper or carton, may bereadily shipped assembled, to be ready for immediate display by thevender,'when removed from the carrier, and which permits the removalor/and replacement of such articles without disturbing the articlesremaining in the device.

Another object of my invention is to provide a display container, inwhich articles of merchandise may be shipped ready for display, soarranged as to be self-supporting when removed from the carrier, withoutrequiring an additional manipulation for stabilizing it for display.

Still another object of my invention is to so simplify the constructionof a device of this kind, that its assembly not only requires aminimumeffort in time and labor, but may be handled by unskilled help, sincenone of its parts are either glued or otherwise fastened together, allwork being accomplished by a simplefolding and inserting of componentparts.

A further object of my invention is to provide a substantially step-likeor pyramid-shaped display device in which articles of merchandise may beinserted so as to form a step-like or pyramid formation for display andremoval purposes.

A still further object of my invention is to provide, in combinationwith my device, a compensating element or filler, adapted to occupy thespace between the walls of a carrier and the merchandise, arrangedstep-like within the device, thereby causing the merchandise to remainin its place and preventing its being damaged during shipment.

The foregoing and still other objects will become more fully apparentfrom the following specification, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, suggesting some of the many possible embodiments of myinvention, but by no means intended to restrict me to the-actualshowing, and in which Figure 1 is a developed plan view of one form ofmy device, in which the article supporting portion is integral with thecompartments-forming member, and showing in broken lines a modifieddisposition of such supporting portion.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a folded compartments-forming member;

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the member equipped with one form ofan article supporting portion;

Figure .4 is a perspective view of my device, filled or stacked witharticles of merchandise, ready for display;

Figure 5 is a vertical cross-section throughmy device as shown in Figure4; c

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view through a carrier containingmy device and a compensating spacer;

Figure '7 is a top end view of Figure 6, with the upper coveringremoved, showing the arrangement of thespacer relative to the stackeddevice;

Figure 8 is a developed plan view of the carrier for my device, of thespacer and of a modified form of an article support, in broken lines, asthese elements appear when blanked out from one sheet of material;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatical plan view of a modified three-rowarrangement of my device;

Figure 10 is a diagrammatical plan view of a modified four-rowarrangement of my device;

Figure 11 illustrates a developed form of a modified construction of mydevice, consisting of a compartments-forming member, and large and smallornamental reinforcing elements;

Figure 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the assembledmodified form of my device, shown developed in Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a top view of Figure 12, illustrating the modifiedconstruction of the article support, shown developed in broken lines inFigure 8;

Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view taken on lines 14-14 of Figure 12,and

Figure 15 is a cross-sectional partial detail view taken on lines 15--15of Figure 14.

Referring now to the figures, numeral 10 denotes a blank, cut or stampedout from a sheet of material, usually cardboard, to the shapes and formsconstituting, when folded together, a shipable display container.

The blank consists of several distinct main portions, each serving forspecific purposes. Numeral 11 denotes the compartments-forming area,provided with a large back portion 12 and smaller end flap 13, bothequipped with interlockable provisions 14 and 15, respectively. At thelower edge of area 11, there extend bottom flaps 16,

. tion .18, terminating in a marginal flap 19. At

the upper edge of end flap 12 there is shown a display extension 20,provided with an ornamentally curved through-cut 21 and bending zones22, and terminating in a marginal flap 23.

The compartments-forming portion 11 hasa generally T-shaped cut-out 24,and is provided with a plurality of substantially parallel, steplike,symmetrically arranged bending zones 25 and 26, 27 and 28, 29 and 29.There are also provided step-like through-cuts 30, 31, 32, 32 and 33,the latter forming a continuation of the base of the T-shaped cut-out.Between end flaps 12 and 13 there will be found bending zones 34.Similar bending zones are provided between area 11 and flaps 16, andbetween end flap 12 and bottom area 1'7 and display extension 20."Another bending zone connects bottom area '17 with article supportingportion 18, while marginal flaps 19 and 23 are similarly connected withportion 18 and extension 20, respectively.

The article supporting portion 18 is provided with a step-likearrangement of parallel bending zones, divided into central,intermediate and outer zone groups. The area of bending zones is dividedinto substantially parallel strips or fields by spacing through-cuts 35,36, 37 and 38, arranged in step-like fashion. In this constructioncertain portions of the fields are designed as supports for articles ofmerchandise, as will be explained presently, and are divided into upperand lower supporting areas. The upper areas are marked 39, 40 and 41,while the lower areas are designated at 42, 43 and 44.

Referring now to the construction and purpose of compartments-formingarea 11, it will be noted that through-cuts 30 start at the lower endsof bending lines 27, cross bending lines 25 and terminate at the bottomof bending lines 26. Throughcuts 31 start at the top of bending lines25, cross bending lines 26 and terminate at bending lines 34.Through-cuts 32 start at the bottom of bending lines 29, cross bendinglines 27 and terminate at the bottom of bending lines 28. Throughcuts"32 start at the topof bending lines 27, cross bending lines 28 andterminate at the top of bending lines 26. Through-cuts 33 start at thetop of bending lines 29 and terminate at the bottom of bending lines 29.

The fields formed by the respective throughcuts, and the arrangements ofthe latter between ends o f-some bending zones, and cross-sectingcertain other bending zones, provide wall areas for individual or/andmultiple article receiving compartments. It will be observed that someof the bending zones are in line, as for instance zones 25 and 28, 27and 29', but are interrupted by unbent areas I and II, respectively,which areas serve as connections between the cut-out fields, which, whenthe device is folded to its desired form, constitute side walls for morethan one article compartment. The field portions between bending lines,when one of them is cross-sected by through-cut, constitute front wallsfor such compartments. The inner flaps 45, seen clearly in Figure 2,form front wall portions of a double compartment, and a similar doublewall is shown at 46. Fields 47 and 48 clearly illustrate the .fact

that they serve as a continuous side wall for more than one compartment.

areas 42, 43 and 44 may be inserted into the front row of compartments,to form bottomsfor the latter, while areas 39, 40 and 41 are intended toform supporting areas for the upper row of compartments. Thisarrangement may clearly be observed from Figure. 3 where some of thesupporting areas (39, 40, 42 and 43) are indicated. Obviously, thedifferent sections of portion 18 are bent over the edges of thecompartment front walls, while spacing cuts 35, 36, 37 and 38 straddlethe side walls of the compartments. Marginal flap 19 is turned about andinserted between the upper edge of the folded device and the displayextension 20. The latter is folded about its bending zones 22 and itsmarginal flap 23 is secured at the front, as shown in Figure 2. Byfolding over the end portion of the display extension the pleasingcontour of the latter stands out as decoration, and may be used asadvertising space.

In Figure 5 the arrangement of the different parts of the device may beclearly observed, except that in this case the supporting portion 18' isa separate piece of material, its contour being illustrated in dottedand dash lines in Figure 1, to showthat the same may be blanked outindependently of compartments-forming portion 11.

Referring to Figure 5, numerals 39' and 42' denote the centralsupporting surfaces formed by portions of member 18'. Numeral 17'corresponds to bottom flap 17, but terminates in a marginal flap 49.Another marginal flap 19 corresponds to flap 19. Theicompartmentsforming portion is the same.

Figure 4 illustrates the arrangement of cartons or article containers intheir respective compartments'of the device, showing theirstep-like, orpyramid-effect formation, intended not only to create a pleasingappearance, but facilitating the removal or replacement of eachindividual article, without in any way disturbing the articles remainingin the device.

While the design of Figure 4 is very desirable and practical, smaller orlarger groupings or entirely different arrangements of pyramidformations may be developed. as illustrated in diagrammatical forms inFigures 9'and 10. In the former figure are shown twelve compartmentsdivided into three rows, each of four compartments. Figure 10illustrates an arrangement of four rows, each row having threecompartments. Obviously, more or less compartments may be provided,however I prefer a grouping of twelve, or multiples thereof.

In Figures 6, :7 and 8 is shown a shipping container and a compensatoror filler, both adapted for facilitating the shipment of my device,stocked with articles of merchandise. The development, illustrated inFigure 8, represents the blanks of the carton, the filler and thearticle support, the latter for a modified form of my the contour of thepyramid arrangement 0.! the individual article cartons. Two pairs ofinterlocking cuts 56 facilitate the holding of the filler in its shape,after folding it along its bending zones into a self-crossingarrangement, clearly shown in Figures 6 and '7.

When my device, filled with merchandise, is to be shipped, its displayextension 20 is first folded up. against the back, and the device isdeposited upon area 50 of the carrier. Then spacer 54 is put in place soas to fill the space between the merchandise and one of the end areas 53of the carton, when the latter is swung up to close the carrier.

In Figures 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 is illustrated a modified form of mydisplay device, but involving the basic idea of a compartments-formingmember, as described in connection with Figures 1, 2 and 3. In thismodification is shown a compartments-forming member 57, provided with aplurality of parallel, step-like or staggered compartment bending zones58, 59, 60, 61 and 62, arranged symmetrically. Bending zones-60 and 61are again in line, but are interrupted by a spacing area III.

A plurality of through-cuts connect the ends of some bending zones andcross-sect others. The central cut-out arrangement, indicated at 63, issomewhat different than that of Figure l, and the ends of flaps 64 and65 are separated from the body of the sheet by notches 66 and 6'7,adapted to interlock with ornamental reinforcing members 68 and 69,respectively.

At both ends of the central portion of the compartments-forming memberare provided side flaps '70 and '71, adapted to bend rearwards alongbending lines '72, and provided with interlocking facilities '73 and 74,respectively. At about the top center of end flaps 70 and '71 there arearranged lock-lips '75, adapted to interlock with notches 67, when theend flaps are caused to form the back of the device.

At the lower end of the blank is shown a center base portion '76, havinga marginal flap '77. Both are provided with bending zones for foldingthese areas intothe bottom end of, the device. At each end of the baseportion there are seen base flaps '78, adapted to be folded up beforebase portion '76 and marginal flap '77 are folded into place; Themarginal flap possesses locking lugs '79, which, when the flap isinserted, are folded, along their bending lines, towards one another,and the moment they are in place, they automatically assume theirlocking position, as clearly seen in Figures 14 and 15, and bear withtheir bottom edges against bottom flaps '78. In this manner the bottomportions of the device, forming its supporting or resting base, arelocked in position against disengagement. r

Before closing the bottom portions of the device, I insert an articlesupport, shown in blanked-out form in dotted and dash lines of Figure 8,and in its folded-up condition in Figure 13. The. support consists of astrip of material, having a substantially straight base edge and astep-formed upper edge, and is provided with a plurlaity of pro-foldedbending lines and locking notches, the latter adapted to facilitate thecrossing of some of its portions, as at (Figure 13), and to hold thesupport in its folded-up position. The bending lines are so arranged, asto enable the folding of the support in such a way, that some of itsportions are placed diagonally below the article compartments, as at 81,or in any other way, as at 82, but so as to support with their edges anyarticle placed into the compartments.

When the article support is correctly inserted and the bottom flaps areclosed and locked in place,.ornamental display members 68 and ,69 areattached in their respective position. Both .display members haveengaging notches 83 and 84, and 85 and 86, respectively. The outernotches 83 and 85 are adapted to straddle and engage the fields havingconnections III, while the inner notches 84 and 86 engage and interlockwith notches 66 and 6'7, respectively, of the compartments-formingmember.

Display section 69 is provided with a bending line, 89, an ornamentalthrough-cut 90 and short bending lines 91, the latter adapted to permitportion 92 of the display section to be folded backwards, therebyclearing the through-cut ornamentation. Portion 92 possesses a lugextension 93, adapted to be inserted behind side flaps '70 and '71,forming the back of the device. For shipment, upper display extension 69is removed, and placed folded under the back of the container, in asimilar procedure as employed in shipping the device shown in Figures 4and 6, in which case a compensating spacer is also used for filling thespace between the merchandise and the walls of the carrier.

Both forms of my device, shown in the drawings, are based upon the sameprinciple of employing a compartments-forming member made of onecontinuous sheet of material, provided with prefolded bending lines andsuitably disposed through-cuts, both so arranged as to facilitate thequick formation of individual or/and multiple compartments by simplypushing the two end areas of the device towards one another. Whether anarticle support, as shown in Figure 1, or the one illustrated in Figures8 and 13, is used, makes little difference as to either the manufactureor the appearance of the device, nor does it influence the basic idea ofthe compartments-forming member.

As explained in connection with Figures 9 and 10, it is quite obviousthat my idea may be employed in constructing display devices ofdifferent shapes, and for accommodating various numbers of articles. Beit imderstood therefore, that I shall have the right to modify or changemy device to any desired form, as may. become neces sary due to specificrequirements, without departing from the broad idea of my invention, asset forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a display container, a one-piece compartments-forming member,provided with a series of predetermined bending zones and a series ofthrough-cuts, the latter dividing said member into defined fields,adapted, when folded along the bending zones, to forma plurality ofindividual article receiving compartments, and means forming an integralpart of said one-piece member and adapted, when the rnember is folded,to form article supporting means.

2. In a display container, a one-piece compartments-forming member,provided with a series of predetermined bending zones and a series ofthrough-cuts, the latter dividing said member into defined fields,adapted, when folded along the bending zones, to form a plurality ofindividual article receiving compartments, and article supporting means,forming an integral part of said member and adapted, when the member isfolded, to form individual article supports for said article receivingcompartments.

3. In a substantially pyramid-shaped display container, a one-piececompartments-forming member, comprising a sheet of material providedwith a combination of staggered and step-like arranged bending zones anda series of substantially step-like through-cuts, the latter dividingsaid member into defined fields, adapted, when folded along said bendingzones, to form walls of a plurality of individual article receivingcompartments, some of the fields forming front walls corresponding inwidth substantially to the width of one or more articles, and other ofthe fields forming continuous side walls for more than one compartment.I

4. In a display container adapted to receive a' plurality of articles insubstantially step-like or pyramid order, a one-piece member adapted tofold up to a self-supporting stand and to form compartments foraccommodating a plurality of articles, either singly or in any desiredmultiple combination, said member comprising a sheet provided with aplurality of pre-folded bending zones arranged parallelly in step-likeformation, a plurality of substantially parallel, step-like through-cutsdividing the pre-folded areainto a plurality of fields, andtransversingsome of the bending zones, some portions of said fieldsadapted, when the container is folded, to form individual front walls ofsaid article compartments, other portions of the fields forming commonside Walls for more than one compartment, and article sup-v portingmeans, provided constituting an integral part of said articlecompartments-forming member, with said container and adapted tofacilitate the positioning, and forming supports of the articles intheirdesired step-like: formation.

5. In a display container, as set forth in claim 4, said one-piecemember having an integral back portion equipped with multipleinterlocking provisions.

6. In a display container, as set forth in claim 4, said one-piecemember having a large and a small back portion provided with a lockingarrangement, said large back portion having an integral foldable displayextension provided with a partial through-cut, representing a displayprojection, and bending zones, the latter adapted to facilitate thefolding of a portion of said extension downwards and its attachment tosaid back portions so as to free said projection for display.

7. In a display container, as set forth in claim 4, said articlesupporting means comprising a sheet member provided with a plurality ofsteplike, pre-folded bending areas and a plurality of spacingthroughcuts, adapted to divide said sheet member into a plurality offields corresponding in numbers and approximate sizes to the numbers andsizes of compartments of the container, said sheet member fields havinga plurality of relatively small areas adapted to form article supportingsurfaces, and larger areas forming wall surfaces for the compartments,foldable engaging flaps forming the ends of said sheet member, saidflaps adapted to engage the top and bottom edges of saidcompartments-forming member, the areas of said sheet member adapted tofold about the front walls, and said spacing cuts adapted to straddlethe side walls of said compartments.

8. In a display container, as set forth in claim 4, said articlesupporting means comprising an insertable, folded, self-crossing andinterlocking one-piece member, having a base edge in a horizontal planeand a step-like upper edge formation, the latter adapted to support withits edges the displayed articles in their desired step-like arrangement.

9. A display container, comprising a compartments-forming member,insertable large and 'small reinforcing members, and an insertablearticle support, said compartments-forming member comprising a sheethaving a plurality of prefolded parallel bending zones arranged insteplike formation, and a plurality of through-cuts, also in step-likeformation, and transversing some of the bending zones, said through-cutsdividing a portion of said compartments-forming member into fieldswhich, when said member is folded, form individual article receivingpockets, some parts of said fields forming individual front walls, otherparts of said fields constituting common side walls for more than onepocket, interlockable end flaps forming, when folded the back portion ofthe container, a central and two bottom side flaps forming the bottom ofthe container, said central flap having a foldable extension adapted topass between said back portion and said two side flaps, said extensionhaving a pair of locking lugs adapted to engage said side flaps, some ofthe side walls of the pockets provided with recesses, said reinforcingmembers provided with similar recesses and are adapted to engage andinterlock with said pocket side walls, thereby reinforcing the structureof the container.

10. A display container, as set forth in claim 9, said large reinforcingmember having a throughout and bending zones, the latter forming acontinuation of the former and serving for folding a part of saidreinforcing member backwards,

said foldable back part provided with means for engaging the upper edgeof the back portion of the container.

11. A display container, as set forth in claim 9, said insertablearticle support adapted to rest against the bottom flaps of thecontainer, and comprising a strip folded upon itself in criss-crossfashion and having interlocking recesses, its bottom edge beingsubstantially in one plane, its upper edge being arranged in steps ofvarying planes, its crossing portions transversing said article pocketsso as to support with their edges articles at their desired step-likearrangement.

LUDWIG EBERT.

